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4.82 from 16 votes
Want to make an easy Gingerbread House? Try a Gingerbread Log Cabin.
How to Make a Gingerbread House Log Cabin (No Kit Required)
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
57 mins
 

Learn how to make a Gingerbread House with no special kit required, and we'll make it into a unique Log Cabin for Christmas!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 house
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
  • GINGERBREAD DOUGH INGREDIENTS
  • 3/4 cup (6oz/171g) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (7.5oz/ 216g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup (9oz/ 260g) molasses/treacle (or honey if molasses isn't available)
  • 4 cups (1lb 2 1/8oz, 537g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • INGREDIENTS FOR THE HOUSE
  • 2 hard candies for the windows
  • 2 bags of log pretzels
Instructions
  1. METHOD
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hours or overnight or until easy to handle.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness.
  4. Place one of the paper templates on top and with a sharp knife cut around. Repeat the process with the other templates using the remaining dough and rolling up the trimmings – until you have a front and back wall, two side walls and two roof panels and the chimney
  5. Click links below for the house measurements: https://justshyofperfection.com/tag/mini-gingerbread-house-pattern/
  6. Scroll down these pages for the templates. The Chimney are the small pieces, ignore the large square in the picture.
  7. For the door I cut out the door and windows free form. If you want stained glass windows don’t forget to add your hard candy.
  8. Carefully move the pieces on their baking parchment to baking trays and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown. Remove the trays from the oven and allow stand for a few minutes. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
  9. Glue the house together using the royal icing. Leave off the last panel of the roof until the end. Use tins to hold up the house to add extra reinforcement. You can leave it dry for a bit.
  10. Cut and glue on the log pretzels all over.
  11. Add the snow on your roof and around the windows and any decorations you've made (wreath and garland)
  12. Make any decorations 24 hours in advance. Let your house dry WITHOUT MOVING for 6 hours. Take care when moving.
  13. You can add lights on the inside to shine thorugh the windows. Happy Holidays!!!

Watch the Recipe Video!